Tobacco Prevention and Control

Overview

The tobacco prevention and control focus area evaluates and implements tobacco control initiatives that can reduce and prevent tobacco use, as well as eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke, to help Louisianians lead healthier lives. By supporting tobacco-free and smoke-free policies at the organizational, municipal, parish and state level, The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living (TFL) has been able to make great strides in creating tobacco-free and smoke-free environments and workplaces across the state.

Highlights

Nearly 250 youth from across Louisiana convened at the State Capitol for Kick Butts Day 2016 to engage in advocacy training, meetings with state legislators and a rally about big tobacco's youth targeting practices and high rates of youth tobacco use. Learn more

New Orleans made history on January 22, 2015, by becoming the largest city in Louisiana to unanimously pass a comprehensive smoke-free ordinance that protects ALL employees from the dangers of secondhand smoke.Learn more

In a time when budgets for vital health programs and services are continually cut, Louisiana took a small step forward by raising the tobacco tax to $1.08 in 2015, increasing our rank among all states from 49th to 34th. However, there is still more work to do.Learn more

Programs and Initiatives

The Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living

TFL has created a variety of initiatives with the needs of Louisiana’s diverse population in mind. Each initiative addresses a specific opportunity for change and represents a focused effort to support the smoke-free movement in Louisiana.

Youth Prevention

Next Era is a statewide youth movement uniting teens across Louisiana as agents of change to promote healthy, tobacco-free lifestyles. Next Era empowers high school teens to work toward policy change in their communities and across the state.

Secondhand Smoke

The Healthier Air For All Campaign (HAFA) is TFL’s secondhand smoke initiative. A large number of Louisiana residents are not protected from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure: entertainers, bar and gaming facility employees. HAFA encourages support for the protection of all employees with the expansion of smoke-free policies, businesses and events across Louisiana, to continue the growing movement toward a 100% smoke-free Louisiana.

Cessation

Quit With Us, LA is a partnership between TFL and the Department of Health and Hospitals Tobacco Control Program (TCP) that was built as a grassroots community outreach effort. The website is a free resource for those who want to quit on their own or help a friend or loved one quit, and for healthcare providers who identify that their patients are tobacco users and have a desire to quit.

Health Disparities

TFL works state-wide to eliminate tobacco-related health disparities in vulnerable populations. The Communities of Color Network (CoC) provides support and technical assistance to ensure that members of our African-American communities are well informed about the dangers of tobacco, and that these communities are prepared to take action to protect themselves from unhealthy exposure.

To reach a particularly vulnerable group, the African-American Male Cessation Initiative was put into place to increase awareness and utilization of cessation resources and services by African-American males throughout Louisiana. TFL partnered with the CoC and the Smoking Cessation Trust to promote available cessation resources through both mass media and on the ground outreach.

Statewide Coordination

The Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition strives to improve the health and quality of life of Louisianans by mobilizing communities through policy and system implementation, as well as spearheading environmental changes in order to build healthier communities. You can learn more about their wide-ranging efforts at HealthyLouisiana.org.

The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Louisiana (CTFLA) and its subsidiary, The Coalition for a Smoke-Free New Orleans, are key partners of TFL's campaign efforts to create a tobacco-free state, and expand smoke-free environments one city at a time. The CTFLA aims to strengthen policies that provide protection against the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and encourage tobacco-free living.